Walnut Creek Campus

1020 8th Street
West Des Moines, IA 50265

walnutcreek.wdmcs.org/

152 Students

High School 9th - 12th

School Overview

Walnut Creek Campus (WCC) is an alternative high school program serving students within the West Des Moines Community School District. Unlike a traditional high school setting, WCC is designed to provide a personalized, flexible, and supportive learning environment for students who may benefit from a non-traditional approach to earning their diploma. The campus emphasizes a smaller community feel, which allows for stronger teacher-student relationships and a more individualized pace for completing graduation requirements.

The program focuses on both academic achievement and the social-emotional well-being of its students. By offering a smaller student-to-teacher ratio and a collaborative atmosphere, Walnut Creek Campus helps students overcome academic or personal barriers that might otherwise hinder their success. The school remains fully integrated into the broader West Des Moines district, ensuring that students still have access to district resources while benefiting from the unique, specialized educational framework that the Walnut Creek environment provides.

152

Total Students

14.0

Full-Time Teachers

10.8

Student/Teacher Ratio

76.3%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Walnut Creek Campus
Demographic	Student Count
White	76
Hispanic	28
Black	30
Asian	1
Two or More	17

White
76 (50.0%)
Black
30 (19.7%)
Hispanic
28 (18.4%)
Two or More
17 (11.2%)
Asian
1 (0.7%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Alternative School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	West Des Moines Comm School District
Phone:	(515)633-6480
Website:	http://walnutcreek.wdmcs.org/
Grade Range:	9th - 12th
Total Students:	152
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	14.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	10.8
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	96
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	20

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 9 21

Grade 10 33

Grade 11 62

Grade 12 36